powerslide
Member
well the tour starts this weekend. Who will win it, what will happen, thoughts and picks?!
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Official Tour de France 2012 thread
- Thread starter powerslide
- Start date
powerslide
Member
With over a 100 km of time trail some one like Wiggins will win it. All he has to do is follow in the mountains and win the TT. And he is a stronger TT rider than Cedel Evans
theater.thug
Member
Peter Sagan could do very well
powerslide
Member
Sagan is looking like on a new level - but in the tour he will be up vs the best guys in peak fitness condition. a Sagan, Greipel, Cavandish finale - my money is with Cav. But if the finale is a more uphill but not real mountain finale Sagan could be a good bet.
harveydowns
Member
Unless he has some really shitty luck, Wiggins should win. Evans and Menchov and MAYBE Gesink will be there or there abouts.
Green Jersey: Sagan, Goss, Kittel or Greipel. Probably Sagan as he'll be able to pick up points in stages that the pure sprinters will not.(Cavendish has stated that its not his aim and with his recent weight loss, even he has said he doesnt expect to be as dominant in flat bunch sprints now.)
Polka Dot Jersey: Dan Martin or someone from a french team whose sponsors demand some media coverage.
White Jersey: Van Garderen or Stephen Kreusjwik (sp?)
Green Jersey: Sagan, Goss, Kittel or Greipel. Probably Sagan as he'll be able to pick up points in stages that the pure sprinters will not.(Cavendish has stated that its not his aim and with his recent weight loss, even he has said he doesnt expect to be as dominant in flat bunch sprints now.)
Polka Dot Jersey: Dan Martin or someone from a french team whose sponsors demand some media coverage.
White Jersey: Van Garderen or Stephen Kreusjwik (sp?)
powerslide
Member
Solid and insightful picks. with all that TT the tour might get a little defensive. I miss the attacking guys like Contador or Andy Schlek.
harveydowns
Member
That's certainly a possibility (one that hopefully wont happen!).
But you've also got to think of all the riders there going for yellow who dont have as strong a TT as Wiggins, Evans or Menchov, they NEED to go for broke in the mountains to make up as much time on the stronger TT guys as possible. Whether they can make enough time to defend depends on how aggresive they want to be.
That said, Wiggins has looked like a world class climber in the last ten months or so and i'd be surprised to see him getting dropped that often (especially with the unbelievably strong team he has with him), who knows, he might even try something himself!
I'm calling Wiggins, Froome, Porte and Rogers to team up and do something like this:
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But you've also got to think of all the riders there going for yellow who dont have as strong a TT as Wiggins, Evans or Menchov, they NEED to go for broke in the mountains to make up as much time on the stronger TT guys as possible. Whether they can make enough time to defend depends on how aggresive they want to be.
That said, Wiggins has looked like a world class climber in the last ten months or so and i'd be surprised to see him getting dropped that often (especially with the unbelievably strong team he has with him), who knows, he might even try something himself!
I'm calling Wiggins, Froome, Porte and Rogers to team up and do something like this:
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harveydowns
Member
He's got a broken pelvis and isn't riding. However he will go balls deep, into his brother.
theater.thug
Member
Anyone here ride/race? Or do you guys just follow cycling?
powerslide
Member
i have raced all sorts of endurance racing. bike, run, triathlons,adventure race, marathon speed skate over the last 20 years
YouAllSuck
Member
sucks andy schleck is hurt, i was hoping he would get a legit win
harveydowns
Member
Been riding road for a good 5 years now, starting to take it more seriously now and hope to start racing next season. But the racing scene is something im super passionate about following, such an incredible sport. Mind boggling physical endurance, incredibly complex tactics and so easily accesible to everyone, i'm surprised its not a bigger deal than it is.
theater.thug
Member
This guys name is Lewis Elliot. He was on the team I race for, HotTubes, in 1996. He was one of the best Junior cyclists in the country until he got kicked off the team in 96. My manager/director still wont tell us why he got kicked off.... But now hes a triathlete/model/comercial actor.
theater.thug
Member
Dub post but whatever. How old are you? Im 17 and ive been racing for 7 years. Its my favorite thing in the world, theres just nothing like it. I actualy just got back from nationals in georgia, and Im doing a big stage race in Ireland in July with my team. I want to ride in the ProTour someday, and i really think I can. I cant wait to go bacl to Europe for racing. It was just crazy when I went last season... People just dont understand cycling. "oh anyone can ride a bike..." yeah ok.
uosdwiSrjewoH
Active member
I'm just praying that it doesn't go Wiggins, Evans, Menchov. I want a crash to take some key guys out and some other players to make a go for it. Of course I want Ryder to show up, and I actually believe he can make a top 5 finish if he's still on his game, but everyone seems to think it'll just be wiggins or maybe cadel. excited to see how it all gets mixed up once they start riding.
maximiliaan
Active member
hope hoogerland wont break anything this year
maximiliaan
Active member
by break i mean dont fall into the barbed wire
powerslide
Member
picks for today: fabian and boason hagen
powerslide
Member
yes fabian cancellara in Yellow.
powerslide
Member
well there you have it. Sagan taking stage 1. 
What is he 22, his young. what a talent
What is he 22, his young. what a talent
thebeesknees
Active member
I was diggin that pose he struck when he crossed the line
powerslide
Member
and stage 2 the British bullet Cavandish. flat out he is the fastest in the game
katie.
Active member
Bump for a crazy stage ending today
It was sad to see Cav down so close to the finish - people were thinking he was going to win this one....he hasn't had a stage win yet and Rouen was going to be his one. Poor dude.
On another note, Greipel's win with the help of his teammate was spectacular when it comes to sprints....the most perfect execution of cycling teamwork. Fucking gorgeous.
Tomorrow is another flat race, I hope Cavendish can redeem himself...
It was sad to see Cav down so close to the finish - people were thinking he was going to win this one....he hasn't had a stage win yet and Rouen was going to be his one. Poor dude.
On another note, Greipel's win with the help of his teammate was spectacular when it comes to sprints....the most perfect execution of cycling teamwork. Fucking gorgeous.
Tomorrow is another flat race, I hope Cavendish can redeem himself...
uosdwiSrjewoH
Active member
etage deux?
maximiliaan
Active member
good job armstrong.....
powerslide
Member
i don't hope the whole armstrong case will spoil the this tour. imagine if he is stripped from all seven titles. is he clean or a doper? thoughts..
Dustin.
Active member
He's been formally accused and investigated so many times now that I don't think anything will be unique this time. Whether or not he doped, you have to imagine it must suck not being able to go on with your life because everyone and their mom keeps trying to send you to court.
harveydowns
Member
www.steephill.tv
harveydowns
Member
i'm in love.
Getting into the big mountains now and it is looking a 2 horse race between Cadel and Brad. Maybe Chris Froome or Vinchenzo Nibali can cause an upset but looking unlikely.
On a sidenote does anyone know Taylor Phinneys newschoolers account? He is probably the most famous non-skier Newschooler!
On a sidenote does anyone know Taylor Phinneys newschoolers account? He is probably the most famous non-skier Newschooler!
katie.
Active member
Watching the Tour in German is not the same 
On another note, I saw the final stage of the Tour of Austria yesterday...a couple of the big teams were represented (Astana, BMC, Omega Pharma Quickstep) and it was kind of crazy to see a huge peloton like that roaring through downtown Vienna.
On another note, I saw the final stage of the Tour of Austria yesterday...a couple of the big teams were represented (Astana, BMC, Omega Pharma Quickstep) and it was kind of crazy to see a huge peloton like that roaring through downtown Vienna.
powerslide
Member
Froom and Wiggo looked like winners to day. all the others needs to go on the atack in the comming mountains.
powerslide
Member
and bam. Schleek goes down for doping - make you go hmmmm.
Ghini
Active member
Sorry to do this, but this is no need for a new topic..
I have a couple of questions for tour / cycling / armstrong fans;
- Did you ever wear one of those live strong bracelets?
- Do you still wear it now? (Why/why not?)
- What do you think of Armstrong at this time?
- What do you think about his live strong organisation now?
I ask you because yesterday night I watched a cycling program and the commentator (Mart Smeets, a big guy in tv cycling world here in the Netherlands) still wears a live strong bracelet. That amazed me.. I never wore one, but I coulndt support an organisation that went big because of the succes of Armstrong with his many tour wins, but those are very questionable because he might used doping.
Offcourse every support in cancer research is welcome, but to mee it feels like the same thing as if the maffia gives 'their' money to cancer research..
Debate, let me know what you think..
Enjoy the next 2 stages!
I have a couple of questions for tour / cycling / armstrong fans;
- Did you ever wear one of those live strong bracelets?
- Do you still wear it now? (Why/why not?)
- What do you think of Armstrong at this time?
- What do you think about his live strong organisation now?
I ask you because yesterday night I watched a cycling program and the commentator (Mart Smeets, a big guy in tv cycling world here in the Netherlands) still wears a live strong bracelet. That amazed me.. I never wore one, but I coulndt support an organisation that went big because of the succes of Armstrong with his many tour wins, but those are very questionable because he might used doping.
Offcourse every support in cancer research is welcome, but to mee it feels like the same thing as if the maffia gives 'their' money to cancer research..
Debate, let me know what you think..
Enjoy the next 2 stages!
Cufe.
Active member
-yes
-no
-lost it
-amazing rider/ inspiration (fuck the USADA)
-fighting cancer is always cool in my books
The USADAs charges against Armstrong are the same the French tried to use against him. He has been tested more times than any other athlete and passed every one of those. Oddly enough he may have had some extra medications in his body from that whole "I have cancer" thing. The USADA is wasting valuable tax payer money pursuing a man who provides inspiration to millions of people. All this over a board of government appointed people who have never competed in endurance racing who can't believe that Lance did something amazing without doping. So naturally they decide the best course of action is to charge him with doping then attempt to bully teammates and coaches into testifying against him. It is shameful that the government would fund something like this, to bring down one of the few national heroes left in the USA or the world, all over PASSED drug tests from a decade ago. Sadly I cant see the USADA letting them selves be made a fool of so they will likely (should a valid argument not be made) make false accusations and attempt to bully testimonies out of people (already well under way.)
All that said
Go Sagan! Do the Forrest Gump
-no
-lost it
-amazing rider/ inspiration (fuck the USADA)
-fighting cancer is always cool in my books
The USADAs charges against Armstrong are the same the French tried to use against him. He has been tested more times than any other athlete and passed every one of those. Oddly enough he may have had some extra medications in his body from that whole "I have cancer" thing. The USADA is wasting valuable tax payer money pursuing a man who provides inspiration to millions of people. All this over a board of government appointed people who have never competed in endurance racing who can't believe that Lance did something amazing without doping. So naturally they decide the best course of action is to charge him with doping then attempt to bully teammates and coaches into testifying against him. It is shameful that the government would fund something like this, to bring down one of the few national heroes left in the USA or the world, all over PASSED drug tests from a decade ago. Sadly I cant see the USADA letting them selves be made a fool of so they will likely (should a valid argument not be made) make false accusations and attempt to bully testimonies out of people (already well under way.)
All that said
Go Sagan! Do the Forrest Gump
AndrewGravesSV
Active member
Come on Voekler!